BiG-i Art Project Call for Entries 2016

It's Your Showtime!!!!!!

■ What is the BiG-i Art Project?
Art has the power to connect people. The BiG-i Art Project leverages this power to encourage communication between people, both with and without disabilities, and to promote the sharing of inspiring experiences and joys. To help people with disabilities discover and fulfill their potential, the BiG-i Art Project is conducted with the following three objectives:
- To offer people with disabilities opportunities to engage in artistic activities
- To unearth and nurture artistic talent
- To support and publicize the activities of artists with disabilities

■ Entry and Selection Process
Original works will be judged to ensure that their true appeal is not lost in or misrepresented by photographs.

*The exhibition of BiG-i Art Project 2015 Selected Works is scheduled to tour the following venues:
L1 Gallery, Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (Hong Kong) from March 3 (Thu) to 9 (Wed), 2016
Bunkamura Box Gallery (Tokyo) from May 2 (Mon) to 9 (Mon), 2016
Yokohama Rapport Sports and Cultural Center for the Disabled (Yokohama) from May 11 (Wed) to 15 (Sun), 2016
People’s Gallery, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (Kanazawa) from May 17 (Tue) to June 5 (Sun), 2016
The venue in Osaka is currently being arranged.

■BiG-i Art Project Opens the Door to the World
Entering this competition can open the door to a brand new stage! BiG-i Art Project brings art created by people with disabilities to a wider audience, thereby promoting interaction between people across nations, ethnicity, language, and whether or not they have disabilities. Who knows, perhaps your artwork can end up touring the world!

[Past international exchange events]
- Participation in the 3rd Korea-China-Japan Joint Exhibition for Disabled Artists (Korea)
- Participation in ESCO Very Special Peace Art Festival 2013 in Batticaloa (Sri Lanka)
- Participation in 〓 Seminario Internacional de ARTE INCLUSIVO 2014(Spain)
- Art consignment agreement with Cavin-Morris Gallery (New York)
- Exhibition of Selected Works “Resonating Resonance” in Hong Kong (Hong Kong)

■ Jury members
Yohei Nishimura (ceramicist/artist)
Yuji Akimoto (Professor and Director, The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts)
EDWARD M. GÓMEZ(Senior editor of Raw Vision)
Baron Ueda (illustrator)
Kyosyu Mochizuki (calligrapher)
Ikko Nagano (photographer)
Hiroaki Nakatsugawa(artist/art director)

■ Guidelines for Overseas

Entries Eligible works:
Artworks produced by persons with disabilities inside or outside of Japan. Works that have previously won awards are not eligible for entry.

Eligible applicants:
Artist responsible for creating the work; person with the parental responsibilities and rights for the artist (if the artist is a minor); artist’s legal guardian; or juridical person entrusted with the right to use the entered artwork.

Number of entries:
Up to three works per artist will be accepted for consideration.

Categories:
Painting, illustration, graphic design, calligraphy, photography, 3-D objects, etc. There are no restrictions on materials or subjects.
- Works using natural flowers and other perishable materials as well as firearms and hazardous materials will not be accepted.
- Works that violate copyrights or publicity rights of others are not accepted for consideration.
- Please consult the organizer before entering work that requires special handling or display conditions.

[Framing]
Works do not need to be framed. Please remove any glass before sending framed work.

[Size and weight]
Due to limited exhibition space, works must conform to the following dimensions. Please consult the organizer before entering oversized work. The organizer may not be able to return oversized works.
Two-dimensional works : Maximum height 200 cm × width 120 cm
Three-dimensional works : Maximum height 200 cm × width 150 cm × depth 150 cm, weight 50 kg
Please give thought to print size as well when submitting photography work, because the method of printing is also considered an aspect of the work. Normally, print sizes equivalent to or larger than yotsu-giri (254 x 305 mm) are advisable.

Application period:
July 1 (Fri) to 31 (Sun), 2016

Application fee:
Free

Appli Application conditions:
The applicant agrees to lend his/her submitted work to BiG-i for a period of one year for display in exhibitions in Japan and abroad and consents to images of his/her submitted work being used in the exhibition catalog and exhibition merchandise in the event his/her submitted work is chosen for an award (Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, Runner-up or Honorable Mention). The applicant agrees to the inclusion of images of his/her submitted work in slide shows etc. shown to the public during award ceremonies and at exhibition venues, regardless of whether the work is chosen for an award.

Application method:
Complete the application form, attach a photo of the work, and send by email or postal mail.
An application form is required for each work entered.
- Application materials and attached photos are non-returnable.

Selection method:
[Preliminary Selection]
A photographic selection will be made by a panel of seven judges. Results will be emailed to applicants starting from around mid-August. Successful applicants will be asked to submit original works to arrive at BiG-i no later than Sunday, September 25, 2016.

[Final Selection]
Entries from both Japan and overseas will be subjected to a judging of original works, in which a panel of seven judges will choose the Judges’ Award and BiG-i Award winners, Runners-up and Honorable Mentions. Results will be emailed to applicants starting from around mid-October. Winners of the Judges’ Award and BiG-i Award will be requested to attend an award ceremony (expected in November 2016). Travel and accommodation for attending the award ceremony will be paid for by the organizer.

Award winners’ privileges
●BiG-i Art Project Exhibition for Award…All award-winning works (the Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, Runners-up and Honorable Mentions) will be displayed at an exhibition of award-winning works to be held at BiG-i.
●Catalogue of winning works…All award-winning works (the Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, Runners-up and Honorable Mentions) will be published in a catalogue of winning works.
●Traveling exhibitions…Award-winning works (the Judges’ Award, BiG-i Award, and Runners-up) will be displayed at traveling exhibitions to be held in Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka.

< Applicants shortlisted for the final selection>
Please send the original work (actual, physical item) to BiG-i for the final selection, following the instructions below.

Delivery method:
Applicants are responsible for packing and arranging for the delivery of his/her work to BiG-i.
- To protect work from damage during transit, applicants are asked to ensure that their work is securely packed.
- Works priced at ¥10,000 or more on the CIF basis (CIF= total cost, i.e., the work’s price plus insurance and freight) must not be sent by postal mail or international express courier, because these cannot obtain customs clearance on a re-export basis. Even if the work clears customs, customs duties may be charged upon its return. In this case, such customs duties shall be paid by the applicant.

Shipping costs:
The applicant is responsible for the cost of sending the work to BiG-i. BiG-i is responsible for the cost of sending the work back to the applicant.

When and how works are returned:
Award-winning works will be returned after the exhibition. Other works will be returned after the screening. NB: As a rule, works will be returned in their original packing materials to the name and address given on the shipping label.

Others:
While the organizer shall exercise due care to prevent damage to delivered works during handling and judging, damage to works while in the organizer’s care shall be compensated within the coverage of the “all risk” policy purchased by the organizer.